Boulder County Undoes Its Mask Order - The Last In The Denver Metro Area
BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- It was a busy evening at the Mountain Sun Pub on Pearl. Only re-opened two weeks ago since closing early in the pandemic 22 months ago.
"Well I'm missing my favorite guy, his name was Cooper," said customer Cornelia Krahn as she ordered a burger and fries.
She was back for the first time in a long time. She credited proprietor Kevin Daly.
"He has been very careful and cautious. I admire what he's done."
"It was hard to see 29 years of your business get closed down by a pandemic. And I say not by the government, it was the pandemic that closed it down," said Daly. "I don't think in Boulder County people would have come out."
The staff clogged the area near the bar and kitchen and hustled out the food and beers. It just wasn't an easy place to keep open in the worst of the pandemic's worries explained Daly.
"It's an old building with no windows open to the outside. And it's small and people crowd and they gather and they visit and it's just not built for pandemics."
Workers left, many feared getting ill. At other pubs in the small chain it has been difficult.
"People have been rude, we've had to monitor masks. It's scary working with people in the pandemic, you don't know if you're going to get sick."
The Boulder County Board of Health voted Monday to pull back its indoor mask order for most places, except those that may still be subject to state or federal requirements like facilities for at-risk individuals. The unmasking went into effect at 5pm Friday evening. Just before 5, the pub handed out complimentary small beers for a toast. Kevin Daly called their attention and raised a glass.
"While the pandemic may not be over, hopefully this is a new phase. And there's a lot of hope, so here's to hope you guys!"
The customers cheered.
"To see people gathered at the bar and raising their glass and celebrating together feels good. It feels like the end of a war," said Daly.
At the tables and in the booths, people talked about how masking had changed things.
"If you don't really like being friendly you can kind of just mask up. You don't have to smile and greet everyone you see," said customer Brian McNally. But then, "We've gotten really used to this anonymity but it's almost like we've forgotten how to be social in the real world."
There would be a new change to get used to.
"It's a little uncomfortable honestly to see the servers and everyone without masks because we've been so conditioned to fear people without masks," said Emily Basilio.
Outside, Judy and Dan Vanderhorst walked along Pearl Street window shopping with their masks on.
"I'm a germaphobe," laughed Judy.
"We're talking about flus, colds all the active things that are pretty potentially harmful to older people," Dan said about their potentially greater risk. They have grown used to masks.
"We will be cautious. And if it's a crowded situation we'll always have a mask with us," said Dan.
"Airports, airplanes I think I'll always wear one on an airplane from now on," said Judy.
At her table, Cornelia Krahn talked about having plenty of masks, "I have three in my purse."
Tim Gachot said he wouldn't mind not having to remember, "I'm excited to go back to just, phone, keys, wallet, and not phone, keys, wallet, mask."
Daly was glad to see people happy. While they are not yet making money again, he said that was mostly due to inflation. The staff was working together to get food and drinks delivered. Being closed was behind them hopefully for good and now hopefully masking as well.
"It's just not fun, restaurants and live music aren't really fun for pandemics. And our pubs are about community and gathering and fun," said Daly.
